Duke Upset Logo Was Shown in “Troubling” ‘White Lotus’ Scene “Without Permission”

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[The following story contains spoilers from the latest episode of The White Lotus, “Denials.”]

This publicity wasn’t exactly good publicity, at least to Duke University.

In the latest episode of The White Lotus on HBO, I found myself captivated by Jason Isaacs’ character, Timothy Ratliff, who donned a T-shirt emblazoned with Duke’s iconic logo. Interestingly enough, this scene unfolded as Timothy’s father, grappling with thoughts of ending his life, held a gun to his head.

Following a user on the platform (previously known as Twitter) creating a meme based on Duke’s fate in the NCAA basketball tournament’s March Madness, the school publicly criticized the post by saying, “Suicide is the second most common cause of death among college students. The competition of March Madness includes rivalry, but certain visual representations exceed acceptable boundaries. If you or someone you know needs help, contact the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 988.

Frank Tramble, the University’s vice president for communications, marketing, and public relations, spoke to the New York Times about the school’s dissatisfaction. “Duke values artistic expression and imaginative storytelling,” he said in an email, “However, when characters are seen sporting clothing with Duke’s officially registered trademarks, it leads to confusion and incorrectly implies endorsement or association where none is present.

Regarding ‘The White Lotus‘, not only have they used our brand without consent, but they’ve also utilized it in a way that we find disturbing, doesn’t align with our principles, and steps beyond acceptable boundaries.

The Hollywood Reporter contacted Duke University and Mike White seeking their thoughts. HBO chose not to provide a statement.

The third season of White’s popular series has been embroiled in several contentious issues, including explicit scenes, an incest plotline, an actor being bitten by a snake on set, and a shocking soliloquy. Recently, Isaacs responded to queries about a full-frontal scene, labeling it as a “double standard; however, he later retracted his statements.

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2025-03-27 21:24